When my hubby approached me weeks before my upcoming 50th birthday, he gave me an open book on how I would like to celebrate it. My heart kept going back to Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos. There is something truly magical about that resort that I just cannot shake. I love the coziness.

I had told hubby the perfect birthday would be to go to the Great Wolf Lodge, grab some Starbucks, some Bubble Gum fudge (my favorite) and relax in the lobby. The kids thought it would be fun to go bowling at the Ten Paw Alley and I could not have agreed more. I was not sure until days before that I was actually going to Great Wolf Lodge. Hubby is quite a secret keeper.

My birthday arrived and we were off to Great Wolf Lodge!

As soon as I entered the lobby, I knew I made the right choice. We headed right to the Starbucks! Yes! I was amazed to see the gingerbread house still up in the lobby. I was under the impression it would be taken down after Christmas, only to find out it would be up until the end of January. Each and every Great Wolf Lodge has built their own unique gingerbread house.

I was having such a wonderful that I could not imagine the day could get any better. Then I got a huge surprise: My family announced that we were going to have my birthday dinner inside the gingerbread house! I was thrilled, I had wanted to dine inside the gingerbread house during our last stay, but there was no availability. What a surprise! It brought me to tears.

Dinner time arrived. It felt incredible to be inside the gingerbread house. I was delighted to be surrounded by gingerbread walls decked out with fruit slices, peppermints, kisses, licorice, rock candy and gumdrops of many colors. The doorway was lined with gingerbread men! There was a fireplace inside, including graham crackers. I loved the huge lollipops in planters and the monster-sized red gummy bear! This was something very special and I wanted to make it last forever. I just sat there and took it all in.

At dessert time servers entered the gingerbread house singing and clapping, carrying a festive plate overfilled with goodies and adorned with lit candles of all colors. I was really taken back.

It was a birthday I will never forget, at my favorite place in the whole world—Great Wolf Lodge.

It was pure magic—birthday magic! It's a birthday memory with my family that will last forever.